Nucleation and growth behaviors of primary phase in hypoeutectic Al–Cu alloy in high magnetic field

The nucleation and growth behaviors of primary Al phase in the hypoeutectic alloy of Al–20.8%Cu (mass fraction) in high static magnetic fields were investigated by differential thermal analysis (DTA). The DTA curves indicate that the nucleation temperature of primary Al phase decreases as the magnetic induction increases. The average growth rates of primary crystals increase with the increase of magnetic induction. The dendrite structures show that primary Al phase dendrites change from disorderly without the magnetic field to regularly with the field. The effect of magnetic field with the magnetic induction order of 10 T on driving force for the nucleation of Al crystals is negligible. The reduction of nucleation temperature of primary Al phase is mainly caused by the increase of the interfacial free energy between the melt and the nucleus. The change in dendrite morphology can be attributed to the suppression of melt flows in the magnetic field and magnetic anisotropy of Al crystals.